Korea (South)
Nature
South Korea has its northern border with (unsurprisingly) North Korea. It faces China to the west across the Yellow Sea (West Sea in Korea), and Japan to the east across the Sea of Japan (East Sea in Korea). The line dividing the south from the north runs roughly along the 38th parallel. South Korea is a little bit bigger than Portugal, and most of the country, particularly the east coast, is covered in mountains - the highest is Hallasan.

Korea's history has been plagued by wars, all of which have taken their toll on the environment. When under the control of the Japanese, it was thoroughly logged and mined to support their war effort. However, South Korea is now reforesting with a vengeance. In the north of the country the environment is alpine, with plenty of beech, fir and pine trees. This is the only part of the country where native animals are hanging on: you might see black bear and deer. Along the south coast, things get a bit more tropical and the vegetation is lush. This is where Korea grows its ginseng supplies. The country is dotted with 20 national parks, including the very popular Soraksan, Hallasan and Chirisan parks.

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Mount Soraksan National Park has Taech'ongbong Peak at 1,708 metres, the highest mountain in the T'aebaek Mountain Range, the central backbone of the Korean peninsula. Han-gyeryong Pass and Mishiryong Pass divide the park into the eastern part called Oe Sorak (Outer) known for its rocky peaks and beautiful waterfalls and the western part called Nae Sorak (Inner) which has magnificent streams and valleys.  

At Choksan Hot Spring, visitors can bathe in a tasteless and odourless alkali hot spring which contains more than ten different minerals. It is located four kilometres west of Ch'ongch'o-ho Lake, in the Sokch'o area.

As befits an extinct volcano, most of Mount Hallasan National Park is made of basalt, however, different types of forests and vegetation have formed along the slopes depending on the altitude. In spring, visitors can enjoy the deep pink of the royal azalea blossoms which spectacularly bloom along the slopes.

The Taeyoo Hunting Ground on Chejudo Island is located near Chungmun Resort and offers visitors the chance to participate in small game hunting (mainly pheasants, ducks and crows) and go horse riding. At Cheju Koksokwon there is an unusual garden made of unique and strangely shaped rocks and weathered pieces of basalt and driftwood which have been arranged to tell old legends and tales.

At the Royal Marine Park you can see the dolphin show and at the Yomiji Botanical Gardens there are exhibits of both native Cheju flora and rare plants.

Climate
Korea has four distinct seasons, with a wet monsoon/summer in the middle of the year, and a very cold winter from November to March. Cheju-do off the south coast is the warmest and wettest place in the country.